I believe in You
by superstarAlpha
Summary: Lute has lost the thing she loves most in the world and is a wreck. It's been a month but there's little anyone can do to help her. Or is there? **Meant to be a stand alone, but there is a prequel. Please R&R**


The times between battles were the worst for Lute. She tried to find solace in her books, but more often than not she was found staring at the page, not really reading at all. Many people never knew, but in the middle of the night – for she could not sleep – she'd leave camp and go off somewhere a little distant, to where the fire could no longer be seen and if something should happen, nothing could be heard.

The main thing Lute never figured on her midnight journeys, even though she should have known, was that a knight was always on watch. She would leave the camp when the moon was highest, which had thus far always been Kyle's watch. He would see her, but she never noticed him.

Her journey took her away where she shot her magic around carelessly, recklessly. She cared not for the consequences. This was her true solace. A time when her emotions fully controlled her magic. It was difficult, and it drained her energy, but at least when she did, she wouldn't think about him. Kyle from time to time would follow her, mostly to make sure she wasn't getting herself hurt, but also because he could say he needed to make sure she wasn't working with the other side. At least, the latter excuse Forde would believe better.

This was the only time she let tears fall – when she spun around, holding fire in her palms and making a typhoon of it. Little did she care if the wildlife caught fire, but then, that was a rare occurrence. She looked stunning, the flames lighting the soft, youthful curves of her face. Her age was impossible to believe by her looks, and her eyes danced with a mixture of shimmering water and glowing embers. Never did she cry, exactly. They were silent streams that fell. She never really lost her composure.

For days they traveled with little battle after his death. They still had to reach Jehanna. Every night, food would be handed out. Lute would normally just stay by the fire, watching it dance. She rarely spoke to anyone, though Moulder and Natasha had tried helping her. Saleh even found a drought that could give her dreamless sleep, but she never drank it. She wouldn't eat anything unless someone gave it to her, wouldn't talk to anyone at all. She would just sit by the fire, arms wrapped around her knees, staring.

In truth, it was hard for everyone, he was well liked. Aside from Lute, Niemi had the hardest time; whenever he was mentioned she sobbed until Colm took her away.

It was late one night, and Franz couldn't sleep. He left the tent he shared with the other knights and went by the fire, finding Kyle there, on watch, as usual. While her had basic battle armour, he also wore a cloak. The nights were getting cold.

"You should sleep before your watch comes." Kyle said, not looking at the boy.

"I'm not tired." The blond kid took a seat next to him. On the ground. Kyle poked at the fire with a stick he had, intending to keep the flames alive as long as possible.

"Try to sleep. You can't do a man's woke if you can't stay awake." Kyle refused to look at him.

"You seem to think I can't do a man's work, anyhow, so it doesn't make much of a difference."

"You're just a boy."

"No! I'm a solider, a knight of Renais. I've killed people, and quite frankly, sir, I think the experiences since Renais fell has made me into a man, if nothing else." Franz was on his feet, his fists clenched.

"You will learn to control your temper. Children can't control their emotions." Kyle heard a rustle somewhere to his left. He'd been expecting it. He stood up, finally looking at the boy who was a few inches shorter than himself. "Since you're not going to sleep anyways, keep watch for a few minutes. I'll be back." He turned on his heel, left his lance and followed the noise.

He wasn't surprised at what he found. Again, Lute was sneaking out. Again he followed her. Something was different this time. Her presence was stronger somehow. She didn't seem as mindless as she had before, less zombie-like.

Normally she'd find a place far enough away and start firing. Tonight was somehow different. He tried to reason why that must be. She instead went away and used a different sort of magic. Kyle couldn't really tell how different, it's just, in the past, all she'd ever used was her fire. This time, her hands gleamed with a silvery light. They sparkled without the ferociousness and anger and sadness that had once possessed her. It was even more beautiful, her heavenly glowing. Kyle took a step closer to her to see better, but stepped on a twig, creating a loud snap.

Lute spun her head around quickly to the snap, her purple hair flowing like a veil behind her. She shot some light his way, knowing it only hurts those with dark magic. It lit up Kyle's face. For a moment he looked scared, as if she had just attacked him, but then regained himself when he saw it was hardly an attack. He stepped forward again, slower. "It's only me." He said softly.

She extinguished all her light magic, leaving them only able to see by the light of tonight's full moon. "You don't need to do that." He continued to get closer to her. "Your magic is beautiful. Powerful, and beautiful." He was a few feet away. Se had hardly moved from her spot, keeping her arms poised in front of her like a shield. "Listen, I know you've been running off. And I think I understand why. I've been through what you're feeling. Trust me, I have." He was almost close enough to touch her. This soft side of him he rarely showed to anyone, but the tormet she'd been under since his death was enough to help Kyle to speak about his past with her.

"This is new magic, isn't it? This is Artur's magic. It's different." He pointed to her hands. He wasn't really ready to bear his soul to this beautiful bookworm. She nodded, barely, but just enough so that he could notice. "That's good. You do honor to him, and his memory, rather than fear the reality of it." Her tears fell again, sliding down her cheeks as she sank to her knees and covered her face. He went down with her and reached his hand out to take her chin softly and make her look into his eyes. "This is the right thing, you know."

Her eyes were wide and she looked so fragile, so gentle. His stomach ached. Her head fell from his grasp and landed in his lap, her arms folded in front of her. This time she sobbed, loud and hard. Kyle put his hand on her head and stroked her hair gently. He looked up the the sky, looking at the moon. That was why tonight was special. It was a full moon when Lute lost her husband.

Slowly her cries quieted. She snuggled into his lap some, and the whole time he never stopped petting her. "I read," She spoke to his knees "that different people have different reactions to death. Their reactions can even differ depending on the deceased, and the circumstances. Often people revert into themselves, especially if they think it's their fault. Just like it is my fault."

"Don't say that. It wasn't. The two of you saved us all. We couldn't have gotten away without that magic, as much as I hate to say it. He was a martyr. A hero to us all."

"Do you think so?"

Again he lifted up her chin. It was such a sorrowful beauty she had. "I know so. Your husband was a great man. He made the wisest decision. But you mustn't focus on the past, it will bury you. And we need you. You are so powerful, so strong. We need you." He pulled her into a hug. He wasn't really aware of what he was doing any more. His thoughts, that had always ruled his actions seemed to have stopped.

"You probably didn't know this, but I had a younger sister. She was beautiful, and perfect. There was never a woman more faithful, more true, more loving. I was off training, I was probably about Franz's age. That was when a group of bandits attacked my town. Pushed all the people into a little farm building and lit it on fire. There weren't any survivors." Here he paused and gripped her harder. He swallowed as his gut cinched a bit harder. "I used to think it was my fault, that I should have been home to protect my village. I was a mess for weeks. I wouldn't talk, wouldn't eat. I couldn't put my heart into anything. Every time I came across a bandit, whether they had something to do with the massacre or not, I slew them mercilessly. Almost tortured them. It wasn't until General Seth knocked me around a bit, telling me there was nothing that could have been done that I started thinking that might have been true. He told me I would have died trying to protect them, and it would have been in vain. He was right. She wouldn't have wanted that. She knew how much I loved my country and how much I wanted to serve. I was told to look forward and to do my duty in protecting other people from falling to the same fate, and that's how I honor her. That, and almost every year I visit the ruins of my old home, to her grave."

"Almost?" She choked into his shoulder.

"Yes. It looks like I'm going to miss it this year. The anniversary is in a few days, and we're a few weeks horse ride away."

"I'm sorry."

"Do you know why I tell you this?"

"To help me get over Ar-, my husband?"

"Not exactly. I don't think you should get over him. You shouldn't forget about him, I think. I certainly don't forget my sister. I tell you this because you and I are a lot alike." He held her close.

They were both quiet for a long time before he felt her shiver. He untied his blue cloak and wrapped it about her shoulders. He wondered what her thoughts were. In his little experiences, he'd not know her to withhold them like this, but tragedies make people do things different from their normal, he knew. As his thoughts drifted, he was shaken back to reality but the rustling of trees and bushes. Lute had heard them to, and perked up, a little out of his arms. Suddenly, there wasn't so much heat anymore.

Kyle got to his feet, upset he hadn't brought his lance, or at least a sword. Hand-to-hand combat was his weakest. Lute too, stood. She hugged the cloak tighter to her looking around. She ended up turning so that the two were back to back from one another. The rustling didn't stop and after a moment or so, a few putrid bodies appeared. There was maybe a half a dozen or so of them, each with dismembered parts, heads half dropped in front of them.

"Lute, use your magic!"

"I- I can't."

"Yes, you can. Do it, do it now!"

"No, I'll hurt you." The zombies were gaining in on them, creating a smaller and smaller circle. Kyle knew he wouldn't be able to take on this many alone, and certainly not if he had to protect Lute as well.

"Use Artur's magic, honor him in protecting yourself. Lute, please. You're a brilliant sage."

"I- I- I don't know."

"This is why he gave it to you. You promised to follow my orders. Do it now."

Lute's eyebrows knitted together as she timidly raised her hands above her, tracing a seal into the air. It was new magic, a type the sage wasn't used to. There were so many doubts running through her mind. The zombies were just a few feet away, almost touching distance when Lute felt a hand on her shoulder.

"I know you can do this," The voice said. Lute took a breath and finished the seal. From it, a blinding light emerged and cocooned the pair, as well as all the zombies. Their decayed flesh began to smoke and burn while the gurgling of their painful cries could be heard from half-rotten throats. It was an intense power. One she didn't know she had. She watched as the last body fell to the ground and then she herself fell to her knees, weak from the effort. She would have gone all the way down, but someone had caught her, wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I knew you could do it. Thank you, Lute." The voice said. The arms picked her up and cradled her against the chest of the body that owned the arms. She snuggled into it, weak and dizzy.

Kyle carried her back to camp in his arms. She fell asleep there, making him smile. He knew which tent was hers, or rather, the one she shared with Natasha, Amelia and Vanessa. Kyle gently placed her down in the empty cot inside, careful not to wake the other girls, then backed out slowly, smiling at the girl he'd just brought in.

He turned around once he had exited the tent and almost walked straight into General Seth.

"Sir." Kyle said, standing as an abrupt attention.

"You're supposed to be on watch." Seth said, his facial muscles barely moving.

"I know, sir. I saw something I thought needed attention, and looked into it."

"I bet you did. You will leave her alone. She's going through enough trauma, you of all people should understand that. I don't need you attempting to seduce the widow. We need her as present-minded as possible." It was almost more intimidating in the dark, just hearing the voice and not seeing the movements that made it.

"I wasn't, sir. Just, I thought I could help her."

"And put her to bed? Get yourself to bed, you're relieved for the night. Franz will finish your watch. You're lucky he was here to cover you."

"Yes, sir." With that, Kyle bit down hard and proceeded to the knight's tent, where Forde and Gilliam remained asleep.


End file.
